Securing means for hammer heads



, Sept. 22, 1936. D JONES 2,055,151

SECURING MEANS FOR HAMMER HEADS V Fil ed Nov. 21, 1955 Hal/2d James Patented Sept. 22, 1936 UNITE A'E'Ed FtEg 6 Claims.

This invention relates to securing means for hammer heads and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a construction which will positively hold the head of a tool, such as a hammer, sledge, etc., firmly upon a handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the construction is comparatively simple and in which the holding means includes a small strip or strips and a wedging member or members which are readily placed in position to secure the handle in a simple operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which can be manufactured without any material increase in cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists essentially in a hammer head or the like formed with a conventional passageway to receive the mounting end of a handle, the head being recessed preferably on each side of the passageway, the recesses intersecting the passageway to receive an insert member or members designed to fit between the recessed portion '25 of the head and the handle when it is mounted,

the insert member or members carrying a spreading member forced into the insert when the latter is normally positioned so that the insert member is spread against the head and the han- 30 dle to firmly hold the latter on the former. Preferably the end Wall of the recessed portion is sloped downwardly and outwardly to provide a recess of greater width at its bottom than at its top and the mounting end of thehandle is also 35 preferably recessed in a similar manner, as more fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hammer head,

4'0 partly in section, showing the mounting end of the handle positioned in the handle receiving passage of the head and the inserts positioned in normal poistion spread outwardly to hold the head on the handle.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the hammer head with the handle removed.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the insert members showing the spreading members 50 positioned with their ends ready to be forced into the inserts.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the mounting end of the handle, and,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken 55 on one side of the passageway of the head showing an alternative construction of recess in the head.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, A indicates a hammer head or the head of any tool which is mounted on a handle and B indicates the handle. The head is formed with the usual handle receiving passageway in and, according to the present invention, the head is also provided with a recessed portion ll, the recesses preferably being provided on each side of 10 the passageway and intersecting the passageway as at 52. The lower end of the recessed portion E l terminates in an abrupt shoulder l3 and preferably the end wall M of the recessed portion is sloped downwardly and outwardly to form a 16 recess of greater width at the bottom than at the top.

The handle is also preferably recessed on each side as at E5, the recessed portion sloping downwardly and inwardly so as to provide a recess of 20 greater width at the bottom than at the top, the recessed portion terminating in an abrupt shoulder 6. The recessed portion in the handle is substantially corresponding to that in the head. Thus, when the mounting end of the handle is normally positioned within the passageway H! of the head, a recess between the handle and the head is formed either on one side or both sides of the handle according to whether the head is recessed on one side or both sides, the insert receiving recess-or recesses being formed either by a recessing of the head and/or the mounting end of the handle. To co-operate with the recess or recesses thus provided, I provide an insert member I? which may be formed from wood, fibre or any suitable material. This insert is preferably of a width substantially corresponding to the width of the upper end of the recess and the lower end of the insert is designed to receive a spreading member [8 designed to give a wedge like action and preferably being formed with a barb like end l9 which will function to firmly retain the spreading member within the insert once it has been driven thereinto.

When the spreading member is positioned in the end of the insert, as shown in Figure 3, the insert is driven into the recess and, when the end of the spreading member I 8 comes in contact with the abrupt shoulder it and/or shoulder 66 where a recessed handle is employed, it will be forced into the insert, thus spreading it side- Wise to completely fill the recess of recesses, as the case may be, thus to lock the head firmly upon the handle and, by reason of the fact that the recessed portions have sloped walls forming a recess narrower in width at the top than at the bottom, there is no possibility of the head coming off from the handle.

The recessed portion may be constructed according to the form shown in Figure 5 wherein the upper portion is formed with a straight Wall 2!] for part of its length and then slopes away from the straight portion as at 2i. In the case where the handle is recessed the same structure is followed. In this construction in. case the insert member tends to split when the spreading member is forced thereinto, the splitting thereof will terminate when it reaches a point adjacent to the lower end of the straight wall 26 and in this respect this alternative form might be regarded as providing a slightly stronger construction.

It will be realized from the foregoing that I have provided a very positive means for holding the heads of tools, such as hammers, sledges and the like, firmly in mounted position and that the construction lends itself to a variation. It is preferable, of course, to provide a recess on each side of the handle but it will be apparent that most satisfactory results may be attained by merely forming a recess between the handle and head on one side of the handle.

Various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the claims and, therefore, the exact forms shown are to be taken as illlustrative only and not in a limiting sense, and I desire that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Securing means for hammer heads and the like, comprising in combination a head having a passageway to receive the mounting end of a handle, the head having a recess terminating in a shoulder at its lower end intersecting the passageway and forming a space between the head and the mounting end of the handle when the latter is positioned in the passageway, an insert member designed to fit in the space formed by said recess and a spreading member forced into the lower end of the insert when the latter is positioned in said space between the head and handle, said spreading member contacting with said shoulder and being forced into the insert when the latter is impelled into said space whereby said insert member is spread outwardly against the head and handle.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which the spreading member is provided with a pointed and substantially barbed end whereby it is firmly embedded in the insert when driven thereinto and housed within an intermediate portion of the passageway in the hammer head.

3. Securing means for hammer heads and the like, comprising in combination a head having a passageway to receive the mounting end of a handle, the head having recesses terminating in shoulders at their lower ends intersecting said passageway, the mounting end of said handle being recessed substantially corresponding to the recesses in said head forming a space between the handle and head, insert members designed to fit in the spaces between the handle and head and spreading members for said inserts forced into the lower ends of the latter when said inserts are normally positioned in said spaces, said spreading members contacting with said shoulders and being forced into the inserts when the latter are impelled into said spaces whereby said inserts are spread to fill the spaces, wedging the head on said handle.

4. Securing means for hammer heads and the like, comprising in combination a head having a passageway therethrough to receive the mounting end of a handle, the head having a recess terminating in a shoulder at its lower end intersecting said passageway, an end wall of said recess being sloped downwardly and outwardly to form a recess of greater width at the bottom than at the top and forming a space between the handle and head of greater width at the bottom than at the top when the handle is mounted in the head, an insert member of substantially uniform width throughout designed to fit within said space formed by said recess and a spreading member forced into the lower end of the insert when the latter is positioned in said space between the head and the handle spreading the lower end of the insert to a width substantially corresponding to the width of the bottom of said space, said spreading member contacting with said shoulder and being forced into the insert when the latter is impelled into said space whereby said insert is spread outwardly to fill the space, wedging the head on said handle.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 in which the mounting end of the handle is recessed substantially corresponding to a recess in the head having an end wall sloped downwardly and inwardlyto form a recess of greater width at the bottom than at the top.

6. Securing means for hammer heads and the like, comprising in combination a head having a passageway therethrough to receive the mounting end of a handle, the head having recesses on each side of the passageway and intersecting the latter, said recesses having an end wall sloped downwardly and outwardly to form a recess of greater width at the bottom than at the top, the mounting end of the handle being recessed substantially corresponding to the recesses in said head and having an end wall sloped downwardly and inwardly, each of said recessed portions terminating in an abrupt shoulder, the shoulders of the handle recesses and the head recesses substantially registering when the mounting end of the handle is positioned normally in said passageway, insert members designed to be driven between the recesses in the handle and head and spreading members for said inserts positioned on the lower ends of the latter, said spreading members being mer head.

DAVID JONES. 

